The Golden State Warriors, who described Ralph Sampson as a franchise player when they acquired him two years ago, traded him to the Sacramento Kings Wednesday night for journeyman forward-center Jim Petersen. The trade relieves the Warriors of Sampson's huge salary and a player who didn't fit into their plans, and gives guard-strong Sacramento a front line of Sampson, Waymon Tisdale and No. 1 draft pick Pervis Ellison.

The Golden State Warriors, who described Ralph Sampson as a franchise player when they acquired him two years ago, traded him to the Sacramento Kings Wednesday night for journeyman forward-center Jim Petersen. The trade relieves the Warriors of Sampson's huge salary and a player who didn't fit into their plans, and gives guard-strong Sacramento a front line of Sampson, Waymon Tisdale and No. 1 draft pick Pervis Ellison.

The Houston Rockets traded forwards Rodney McCray and Jim Petersen to the Sacramento Kings for forward Otis Thorpe Tuesday. Thorpe, 6 feet 11 inches, is a 4-year National Basketball Assn. veteran who averaged a career-high 20.8 points and 10.2 rebounds a game last season. "When I arrived, I felt the team needed a shooting guard and a power forward," said Rocket Coach Don Chaney. "Otis Thorpe fills the forward spot. He has the potential to become an all-star."

Ralph Sampson, the taller half of the Houston Rockets' Twin Towers, will not play Saturday when the Lakers and Rockets open their National Basketball Assn. regular-season schedules in a nationally televised game at Houston. The 7-foot 4-inch Sampson has been bothered throughout the exhibition season by a sprained left ankle. He missed the last two exhibition games and was put on the injured list Thursday, meaning he will miss at least five games.

Golden State Warrior center Alton Lister, who had appeared in 167 consecutive NBA regular-season games, is expected to miss the remainder of the season with a ruptured right Achilles' tendon, the Warriors said Wednesday. The 7-foot center was injured Tuesday night in the third quarter of a 118-94 victory over the Clippers. The injury necessitated surgery Wednesday at Eden Hospital in nearby Castro Valley.

Ralph Sampson, the 7-foot 4-inch Houston Rocket forward, was fined $5,000 by the National Basketball Assn. Tuesday for his part in the fight in Game 5 of the championship series with Boston that resulted in his ejection. The league fined 16 other players a total of $11,000 for their parts in the fight last Thursday night in the game in Houston. Sampson was ejected in the second quarter after hitting 6-1 Jerry Sichting of Boston.

Wayman Tisdale scored 27 points as the Sacramento Kings won their seventh straight home game Saturday night, defeating the Clippers, 104-89. Brad Lohaus scored 22 points and Danny Ainge 18 for the Kings. Charles Smith scored 16 of his 22 points in the third quarter to lead the Clippers, who finished with a 21-61 record. Ken Bannister got 11 of his 16 points in the final period. Jim Petersen scored the Kings' first seven points of the final quarter to extend Sacramento's lead to 91-67.

The Houston Rockets acquired high-scoring forward Purvis Short from the Golden State Warriors for reserve center Dave Feitl, a first-round draft choice and cash Thursday, and a Portland spokesman said that Maurice Lucas has accepted an offer sheet from the Trail Blazers. The Warriors will receive Houston's No. 1 draft pick in 1989, 1990 or 1991, depending upon whether Houston is in the draft lottery in any of those years. Short, 30, has averaged 19.

It had been 14 games since Akeem Olajuwon played a game for the Houston Rockets, and when he returned it was with skills intact. Olajuwon had 19 points and 9 rebounds Saturday night while leading the Rockets to a 148-116 victory over the Clippers. Houston's total set an arena record for team scoring at the Summit. "I didn't think I was off," said Olajuwon, who injured his knee Feb. 15 in a game against the Clippers. "I had some trouble with my jumper, but I just wasn't hitting.

Houston's Akeem Olajuwon responded to the loss of Ralph Sampson with 21 points, 11 rebounds and 9 blocked shots, and Robert Reid added 23 points Thursday to lead the Rockets to a 120-110 victory over the Golden State Warriors. Sampson suffered a knee injury in Tuesday night's loss to Denver and underwent arthroscopic surgery Thursday. Team officials are hoping he'll be back before the end of the season.